AUGUST 2016 | VOL. 9 — ISSUE 8
Acrobatics IN THE AIR Aerial silks as an alternative fitness option
PLUS 3 ways to chill this summer Get walking with geocaching O REGON H EALTHY L IVING . COM
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Table of Contents
AUGUST 2016 | VOLUME 9 — ISSUE 8
FITNESS
COVER STORY
Sky Skills: Aerial silks for tots and teens
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FOOD
HEALTH
Berry Good: Plentiful blackberries
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Developing Sleep Routines: Parents sleep better when kids do
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SPECIAL
Purposeful Walks: Getting outdoors with geocaching
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NATURAL
Chill Out: Cold therapy offers a natural cleanse
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On the cover
The editor’s desk Walking behind our sons through Holmes Park in Medford on a Pokemon Go hunt, my friend and I agreed that it was a hybrid achievement. Though the boys were still focused on a device, they were also unknowingly getting exercise, fresh air and sunshine. They had asked to go for a walk, and even suggested we go on a hike. Before there was Pokemon Go, there was geocaching, another good motivator for getting your kids (and you) out in nature and willingly hiking up trails. Give it a try crose@mailtribune.com and you might get hooked!
STAFF EDITOR: Cheryl P. Rose ADVERTISING DIRECTOR: Dena DeRose DESIGN & PRODUCTION: Bret Jackson CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Mary WilkinsKelly CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Keith Gillogly Sarah Lemon Cindy Quick Wilson
Oregon Healthy Living Magazine is published by the Southern Oregon Media Group Advertising Department, 111 N. Fir St., Medford, OR 97501. General information: 541.776.4422 Submissions and feedback: crose@mailtribune.com
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Cora Higgins of Talent began learning aerial silks when she was 5 years old. Now 7, Cora loves performing and mastering new skills, according to her mother, Amanda Higgins. “Cora has always been a kinetic person who enjoys using her body,” she says. Cora also takes gymnastics classes, but the theatricality of the silks appeals to both mom Acrobatics and daughter. “I love how IN THE AIR aerial silks incorporates dance and creativity,” Amanda adds. “We’ll keep her in classes as long as Cora enjoys it and remains excited about it.” Photo by Mary WilkinsKelly.
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Ashland Food Co-op ......................... pg. 12 Core Physical Therapy & Training....... pg. 22 Grace Christian School....................... pg. 18 Grins4Kids......................................... pg. 4 Holistic Health & Fitness...................... pg. 7 Joe LaCroix Hypnosis......................... pg. 24 Katzen Orthodontics........................... pg. 8 Medford Dermatology........................ pg. 4 Medford Food Co-op......................... pg. 16 Medford Foot & Ankle........................ pg. 15 Medicap Pharmacy............................ pg. 13 Medical Eye Center............................ pg. 16
AUGUST 2016 | VOL. 9 — ISSUE 8
Aerial silks as an alternative fitness option
PLUS
3 ways to chill this summer
Get walking with geocaching
O REGON H EALTHY L IVING . COM
Oregon Retina Center........................ pg. 23 Pacific Healthcare Training................. pg. 19 Retina & Vitreous Center.................... pg. 13 Retina Care Center............................. pg. 10 Rogue Functional Wellness.................. pg. 3 Rogue Jet Boat Adventures................. pg. 9 Rosa Transformational Health............. pg. 21 Sherm’s Food 4 Less........................... pg. 2 Southern Oregon Foot & Ankle.......... pg. 27 Superior Athletic Club......................... pg. 9 Visiting Angels................................... pg. 26 Whaleshead Beach Resort.................. pg. 25
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Oregon Healthy Living • August 7, 2016
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F
VERTICAL
FITNESS
Fitness Goes
Aerial silks take youngsters’ physical and mental agility to new heights
H
igh above the floor, young aerialists twirl, pose, dance and plunge downward in breathtaking drops while suspended in nothing more than colorful silk fabric. As performers, they make it look effortless, but that’s all part of the show. The real story is that these aerial acrobatics take many hours of practice.
TEXT BY CINDY QUICK WILSON August 7, 2016 • Oregon Healthy Living 5
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FITNESS
Students from ages 6-8 years old practice at Le Cirque Centre in Ashland. Photo by Mary WilkinsKelly.
Aerial silks, a blend of gymnastics and dance made famous by Cirque du Soleil, is a demanding discipline that requires the development of strength, power, flexibility, courage, stamina and grace. Its popularity has now grown well beyond an elite faction of professional circus performers as youngsters from kindergarten to high school are increasingly drawn to this physically challenging activity. “Circus is an alternative art form and I think that’s what kids like about it,” explains Lorenzo SantaBarbara, instructor, owner and director of Le Cirque Centre in Ashland. The Centre teaches a variety of circus skills, including silks, hoop, trapeze, acrobatics and juggling. “There are certainly other sports and activities for kids, but the ones who come to me seem to be bright kids who want something different. Once they try it, they either fall in love with it or they don’t. There’s nothing in between.” Climbing long lengths of silk fabric suspended vertically from above, practitioners use a variety of footlocks and wraps to hold themselves while performing tricks like the HalfMoon, Back Walkover and the Ship’s Lady. Aerial rigging, made up of metal swivels, rings and carabiners, attach the silks overhead and allow for secure suspension and movement. The fabrics most commonly used include chiffon, polyester and other synthetic nylons that are strong and flexible with some stretch. They can measure from 60 to 108 inches in length. From beginners to advanced, this “vertical” workout uses every joint, muscle and reflex in the body to perform various
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tricks. “It’s like performing aerial acrobatics while hanging from two long pieces of fabric,” describes Jessica Monarch. “Or some people call it aerial dancing.” Monarch began taking classes at the Curtain Climbers Aerial Arts & Performance Company in Ashland several years ago. She became so enthusiastic about aerial arts, she bought the company in 2015. “It’s been exciting to bring new energy and community involvement into the business,” she says.
From tykes to teens
Aerial work isn’t just for the physically gifted, Monarch continues. “Upper body and core strength is important for learning how to hold and anchor yourself, but you don’t have to be ripped to do it. It’s also about being able to grip the silks and hold on. Your whole body is actively engaged and connected while you’re doing these aerial movements.” At Curtain Climbers, the beginners’ class teaches new students to how to lock themselves in position with a footlock and how to do the basic climbs. “We tie a knot in the silks,” Monarch says, “and they learn to do an inversion by going upside down, which is an important part in the beginning. From the very first day, you can get somebody who has never been on the silks before to do a corkscrew, which is a basic position, but it’s a cool move that makes you feel empowered and excited.” Safety is always foremost, Monarch insists, so in every class they review the fundamentals to make sure students
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FITNESS
Mira Saturn, an advanced student, performs a swan dive movement. Photo by Mary WilkinsKelly
have them down before moving to the more advanced movements. “It’s exciting to see these young people have so much enthusiasm for the aerial arts. They get inspired to start strengthening their bodies and you can see the progression of their skill level as they get stronger and are able to do more with a new hold or a different move. Just climbing up the silks is an accomplishment that can be very empowering.”
New heights of creative expression
More than just the fitness benefits, SantaBarbara says that because they are encouraged to design their own tricks and
choreography, the aerial arts develop creative strengths in his students. “Most anyone who is athletic can learn a trick, but to understand the artistry of sequencing and have the vision for fusing what you do into the space around you, that’s a whole other discipline that needs to be learned and experienced. We tell stories with our dancing and the way those stories are presented is quite extraordinary.” Perhaps the most impressive and dangerous of the tricks are the drops, where performers position themselves up high on the silks using special wraps that allow the body to fall into a lower position. These require the most strength and
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FITNESS
THE STORY BEHIND THE CURTAIN
The art of aerial silk, sometimes referred to as aerial tissu, fabric, ribbon, or curtain, was the brainchild of a man named André Simard, an acrobatic research and development specialist for the world famous Cirque du Soleil. He began his career in the 1970s as a gymnast for Canada’s national gymnastics team. While training for the 1972 Munich Olympics, Simard also attended the Institut des Arts Graphiques de Montréal and taught clown performances at the Centre Immaculée-Conception in Montreal. In 1987, he combined his passions for circus arts and gymnastics by training acrobats to be incredible athletes and focusing on performance storytelling using not just facial expressions, but expressive body movements as well. Simard’s creations were used in almost every Cirque production worldwide. However, his most notable achievement wouldn’t be until 1995, when he invented the discipline of aerial silk. An aerialist himself, Simard has been quoted as saying, “I fly a lot in my dreams.”
continuted from page 7 can involve the highest level of risk. “Just imagine yourself being 20 feet in the air and then you do a drop where you stop three feet off the floor,” SantaBarbara says. “That takes so much mental confidence and that’s what permeates our environment. You keep adding new aspects that you want the students to be exposed to. Then the spirit of the child grows by digging inside and bringing out that energy. They discover the depth of who they are through the choreography.” Sixteen-year-old Alex Webb of Talent explains, “I like being able to fly around up in the air and to express my creativity with my body in a way that looks and feels great.” He is a member of the prestigious Empyrean Aerialists, a troupe of professional performers at the Le Cirque Centre. “It’s fun to climb up there, do impressive drops and hear the audience applaud,” he admits. Webb was 9 years old when he first signed up for aerial classes at Le Cirque’s summer circus camp.
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FITNESS
Photo by Mary WilkinsKelly. He thought it sounded like something different and fun, but he admits, “At first, I wasn’t very good at it.” But maturity and practice changed that. SantaBarbara says of his student, “Alex recently created a 7-minute performance on silks that ended with what’s called a triple-unwind-down, where he plunged downward and was caught by his ankles. His dad almost died when he saw that. But Alex is extremely analytical and analyzed every piece of that routine, right down to the finest wrap. It was very impressive.” Ashland resident Sonora Jessup also discovered her passion for aerial work when she was 9. “A friend of mine invited me to her show and as soon as I saw it, I thought ‘I want to do this.’ That’s when I joined the Le Cirque Centre.” Jessup, also a member of the Empyrean Aerialists, says, “I love this as a form of exercise, but it also gives me an outlet for my creativity and how I express myself. It definitely has given me direction and a purpose.” Jessup’s mother, Laura adds, “It’s been good for her in so many ways. Sonora has always been a very active child and when she was younger, a classroom setting was not always ideal for her. But at the Centre, I was always amazed at how Lorenzo was able to get her to focus and follow these very detailed instructions on how to move her body. As she’s gotten older, I think it has allowed her to become more creative, artistic and independent,
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FITNESS continuted from page 9 especially with the choreography she designs. Physically, she is very strong and her balance and flexibility are amazing. Mentally, she is able to focus on coordinating a complex series of movements to music for the aerial dances.” Jessup, 16, says even though she gets stage fright before every show, it’s a great way of testing herself. “This is an outlet where I can be safe and do what I love and just forget about everything else that’s going on in my life. I am totally focused and absorbed.”
The flight risk
There definitely are some dangers involved, admits Monarch, but the training proceeds slowly and cautiously at first. Due to the twisting and contorting nature of movements, no safety lines or harnesses can be used for risk of hanging or other injury, but thick mats, similar to those used in gymnastics, are always in use. “The basic moves we teach beginners can all be done barely above the ground, so they can easily step down from the silks. We work with each student to make sure they are proficient with what they’ve learned to that point before we allow them to move to the next level. We don’t allow anybody to climb that high until we’re sure they have the strength and the grip strength to do things above the ground. From the very beginning, we teach students about accountability, so they are not trying something without supervision,” she says. “It teaches them to take responsibility for their own personal safety.” SantaBarbara agrees, “Safety is all about not teaching a child a trick that they’re not ready for. If a child is not strong enough, it’s up to me and my instructors to identify that and tell the student they are not ready yet. We keep challenging them, but we look at their physical strength as a guide for their training. We also have strict safety rules as to what the kids are allowed to do on their own. They can’t do tricks by themselves when they come into the studio. They are never in this room without a supervisor.”
I can fly!
“It is incredibly fun when you get up in the air and feel so strong and beautiful,” Monarch says. “You get to do routines that are very hard to do, but the movements are captivating and inspiring. It makes you feel graceful and powerful—like a super hero!”
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES Curtain Climbers Aerial Arts and Performance Company August 5 / September 2 The Black Sheep First Friday Show The Black Sheep Pub & Restaurant On the Plaza in Downtown Ashland Show starts at 9 p.m.
September 10 and 29 The Green Show Downtown Ashland Across from the Shakespeare Theater Box Office Show begins at 6:30 p.m.
FOR TICKET INFORMATION: 541.761.7337
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FOOD
Beneficial Brambles Oregon’s prolific blackberries are bursting with nutrients
TEXT BY SARAH LEMON
R
unning along rural roads, Caryn Wheeler also exercises her senses of smell and taste.
Planning her route around which fruits are ripening, Wheeler relishes the aroma of sun-warmed blackberries, a scent that signifies summertime in Oregon. “By the time you can smell them, that’s usually the perfect time to start harvesting them,” says Wheeler, assistant professor for Oregon State University Extension. “That’s when my run typically gets waylaid.” Picking berries slightly off the beaten path is the best way to sidestep herbicide sprays and other chemicals, says Wheeler. Withered or brown, vines to avoid are fairly easy to spot, she says. Perniciously healthy blackberry patches, of both native and imported varieties, proliferate around the state. “They’re kind of the bane of people’s existence, but they’re also delicious,” says Wheeler, who works in the Extension’s Family and Community Health Program.
For sweetness, it’s hard to beat wild blackberries, which conjure the nostalgia of bygone summers, says Cathy Pennington. Old-fashioned foods are Pennington’s specialty, made from dozens of berry varieties grown for the past two decades at her family’s Grants Pass farm. From jams and vinegars to pies and turnovers sold mainly at farmers markets, Pennington Farms is a regional byword for berries. “The unique nuances in flavors can be subtle or dramatic,” says Pennington. “Just as grapes, they have different tastes, thicknesses of skins, seeds, no seeds.” Pennington Farms’ top seller is the Scottish tayberry, a blackberry crossed with a black raspberry. A circa-1880s heirloom blackberry, the Loganberry is the Pennington family favorite. Cultivating more than 50 acres of berries in so many varieties allows Pennington Farms to harvest and sell its crop from early June until November. A half-pint basket of fresh berries, grown organically, is priced at $3. “We have always grown organically … as we have always wanted our kids, now adults, to be able to eat them right out of the field,” says Pennington.
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FOOD In the field of nutrition, blackberries are top contenders for superfood status. So many seeds make blackberries rich in dietary fiber. Boasting plenty of vitamin C and more antioxidants than blueberries, blackberries promote heart health and help to reduce the risk of cancer and stroke. Among the berries’ beneficial properties are high levels of disease- and age-fighting polyphenols, anthocyanins and ellagic and gallic acids. “The beauty of berries is they don’t lose nutritional value or flavor when they are frozen,” says Pennington. Freezing, agrees Wheeler, is an ideal method of extending Oregon’s blackberry season. Wash blackberries, arrange them in a single layer on a cookie sheet, freeze and transfer to plastic, freezer-proof bags to keep for six months to a year, says Wheeler. Berries will stay firmer and brighter when frozen if first sprinkled with pectin, a thrifty way to use expired powder no longer suitable for jam, says the certified Master Food Preserver. While jam is a classic condiment, plenty of blackberry recipes don’t require sugar, says Wheeler. Made with ripe blackberries, her favorite vinaigrette needs no additional sweetener.
BLACKBERRY-BASIL
VINAIGRETTE
Servings: 6 Ingredients: 1 cup fresh or frozen blackberries 1/4 cup water 1/3 cup white-wine or champagne vinegar 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 cup basil, julienned 1 tablespoon sugar, honey or other sweetener (optional) Directions: In a food processor or blender, combine the blackberries and water. Process until berries are pureed. Alternatively, in a medium-sized bowl, use a potato masher, wooden spoon or fork to mash blackberries into a pulp. In a tightly lidded container (canning jars work well), combine berry puree with the vinegar, oil and basil; shake well. Taste; if too tart, add the sugar. Adapted by Oregon State University Extension Service from EatHealthEatHappy.com.
local mmerce Join us for a Farm Tour! A family friendly, behind the scenes look at your favorite local farms.
Rolling Hills & Fry Family Farm Saturday, August 20th Register on line at ashlandfood.coop, or at the Information Desk
Ashland Food Co-op
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237 N. First St. Ashland, OR • 541-482-2237 www.ashlandfood.coop Oregon Healthy Living • August 7, 2016
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FOOD
WILD BLACKBERRIES OF OREGON
Trailing blackberries grow along the coastal mountains and are the first wild species to ripen. The only blackberry native to the West Coast, they are found abundantly on prairies, burns, clearings and in dense woodlands. These small berries are very tart and flavorful, ideal for pies, jams and jellies. They have been used extensively as a parent for breeding other blackberry varieties. Himalayan blackberries are the most plentiful and next to ripen. Medium-sized and purple-black when ripe, they have a very mild flavor. Look for them growing along roadways, flat canals and anywhere else humans have disturbed land. Introduced by celebrated horticulturist Luther Burbank at the turn of the 20th century, the berries actually are native to Germany. Evergreen blackberries are last to ripen. Native to England, they appeared with European explorers in Oregon around 1850 and spread along the Pacific coast. Similar to Himalayan blackberries, evergreen are even milder in flavor but firmer. Bushes are very thorny and the fruit very seedy. Sources: Oregon State University Extension Service and www.oregon-berries.com
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HEALTH
Oh, For a Good
Night’s Sleep
Starting a family may mean the end of this renewable resource TEXT BY CINDY QUICK WILSON
T
he minute that home pregnancy test reads “positive,” sleep may become one of the most elusive and highly valued commodities in your household. It’s difficult enough for adults to cope with sleep disruptions, but for children, sleep deficiencies can negatively affect growth, behavior patterns and learning capabilities.
“Good sleep is just as important as exercise and eating right in order to maintain health,” advises Dr. Judy Black, a pediatrician with Grants Pass Clinic. “Having a set schedule and routine for bedtime is one of the most important things parents can do to support good sleeping habits.” Studies have shown that children who get inadequate amounts of sleep are more susceptible to injuries, may have difficulties with attention, and can exhibit poor impulse control and hyperactive behavior. Sleep disorders such as snoring or sleep apnea may also contribute to poor quality sleep, and should be evaluated by a pediatrician.
Things that hide in the dark
Nightmares and night terrors can shatter a peaceful night’s sleep for both kids and parents. “A nightmare is a bad dream where the child will wake up crying and the parents will be able to settle them down,” explains Dr. Michael Davis, a pediatrician with Providence Medford. “With a night terror on the other hand, they scream and cry and parents will
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try to comfort them, but the child doesn’t wake up and will not remember the dream in the morning. It’s a lot more frightening for the rest of the household than it is for the child.” For some kids, Black says, having night terrors is a signal that they might be sleep deprived following a skipped nap or late night. “If parents can recognize that and set an earlier bedtime or have the child get more sleep, that can help to diminish the number of night terrors or stop them altogether.” With nightmares, parents need to be calm and reassuring, she advises. “Sometimes just getting them out of bed to get a drink or go to the bathroom, a brief physical activity can break the fear cycle. Then tell them you’ll sit with them a minute, then you are going back to bed.” Black cautions that following these episodes, parents sometimes feed into the fear by having the kids come back to bed with them. “This promotes the whole cycle of you’re scared without mommy so come and stay close to mommy. That sets up the whole co-sleeping situation, which can be a problem later on.”
Good sleep hygiene starts early
Davis says the vast majority of sleep problems are bad habits and poor sleep hygiene, so it’s ideal if training starts early. He suggests a window of opportunity when the baby is drowsy and relaxed by being held, rocked or nursed. “From 4 to 6 months of age is where babies are pretty flexible in terms of learning how to fall asleep, so teaching a baby in that age range how to be in their own bed and fall asleep on their own without a bottle can really help with long-term sleep habits. If you get the timing right, most babies, if they fuss, will just fuss for a short while. But if they’ve passed that 6 months of age, it can turn to full-blown crying for 30 to 45 minutes. At 9 or 10 months,
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HEALTH cycles and kids tend to do better if they go to bed I wouldn’t be surprised to hear they cried and screamed at certain times,” she says. “For younger kids, for an hour and a half. Unless a baby learns to fall it’s 7 p.m., which sounds good in theory asleep in his or her own bed, usually in their but if you’re coming home from work own room, then the parents don’t get good at 5:30p.m. and you still have to sleep. That’s one of the main drawbacks make dinner, have their baths and with co-sleeping,” he says. reconnect with your spouse, it can Co-sleeping or bed sharing with be difficult.” children can be a controversial Both Black and Davis stress subject with pros and cons on both the importance of limiting sides of the issue. “It comes down screen time, especially before to a family choice,” says Black. bedtime, but also during the “Sleep is very, very important and day. “For the older kids who are sometimes parents feel like that is having problems falling asleep,” the only way their child can sleep, Black advises, “often the issues and they can sleep also. But it is a are that they’re having too much situation that you’re going to want to electronic stimulation too close to change at some point, so it’s probably — Dr. Michael Davis, pediatrician, bedtime.” This exposure can confuse a habit that is easiest not to start in the Providence Medical Group the biological clock which normally first place. And of course, the older a child releases melatonin, a natural hormone that gets, the harder the habit is to break, so you helps us prepare for sleep. “So definitely for want to be thinking ahead to when it’s time to teenagers,” Black says, “the electronics need to go make that transition.” away, preferably an hour before bedtime.”
“The vast majority of sleep problems are bad habits and poor sleep hygiene.“
Find a relaxing bedtime routine
Experts agree that children do best with a relaxing bedtime routine which may require the parent to set some boundaries. Depending on the age of the child, this might include a bath, brushing teeth, and bedtime stories to prepare the body and mind for sleep and to ease any tensions related to bedtime. Black recommends a consistent schedule but for busy parents, sticking to it can be tough. “There are typical sleep
How much is enough?
Studies show that school-aged children usually need somewhere between nine and 12 hours of sleep at night, but it is up to parents to determine each child’s individual requirements. Generally speaking, if your child can go to bed and fall asleep easily, wake up easily, and not be tired during the day, they’re probably getting enough sleep.
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HEALTH continuted from page 15
TIPS FOR FOSTERING GOOD SLEEP
HYGIENE
DO:
• At bedtime, spend some special time with your child. Be consistent with a simple, regular routine that your child is used to. It may include a light snack, bath, cuddling, saying goodnight, and a story or lullaby in the room where your child sleeps. Be firm that at the end of that routine, the lights go off and it is time to fall asleep. • Be perceptive in finding your child’s ideal bedtime, when your child is starting to slow down and get physically tired. Start his or her bedtime routine and get them into bed before that time. Beyond that time, your child can get a second wind, making it more difficult to fall asleep. • Keep to a regular daily routine—the same waking time, meal times, nap time and play times. Babies and children like to know what to expect. • Make sure your kids have interesting and varied activities during the day, including physical activity and fresh air. • Light helps signal the brain into the right sleep-wake cycle, so keep lights dim in the evening as bedtime approaches.
DON’T:
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• A favorite doll, toy or security blanket may be comforting, but too many toys in the bed can be distracting. • Cultivate a loving, secure time around bedtime. Never use sending your child to bed as a threat or a punishment. • Don’t give your child foods and drinks with caffeine, such as hot chocolate, tea, cola or chocolate. Even caffeine earlier in the day could disrupt your child’s sleep cycle. • Limit television viewing to two hours a day and no TV right before bedtime. Research links sleep problems to too much screen time, so don’t allow computers, tablets, phones, TVs or other electronic devices in the bedroom.
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SPECIAL
The Hunt
IS ON
Geocaching offers worldwide exploration and discovery TEXT BY KEITH GILLOGLY
T
here isn’t anything remarkable about the conduit pipe located 300 feet from Alex Smith’s home in Medford. Past the street, behind a little market, the narrow tube stretches along the ground, hardly noticeable amid the surrounding urban sprawl. Smith stops to investigate the pipe. He looks inside of it, then reaches into it — he’s found something: a small plastic container. Within the container, a scrap paper bears a list of names, to which he quickly scribbles his own.
Siblings Skyler Shaffer and Cameron Smith find a cache at Bear Creek Park in Medford. Photo by Alex Smith.
The container Smith found is a geocache, one of some 2 million that are hidden worldwide. Finding geocaches and writing your handle, or player username, on the paper logbooks that they contain are the main objectives of geocaching. “It’s a real-world treasure hunt that you can do anywhere,” Smith says. In 2012, when Smith learned from friends that people hide geocaches all around the outdoors and then post the containers’ GPS coordinates for others to locate, he became hooked on geocaching. He’s
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SPECIAL continuted from page 17 Alex Smith of Medford finds a cache on Roxy Ann.
found some 2,500 caches since then and now actively promotes geocaching in Southern Oregon through social media and other means.
What’s the cache?
Geocachers get started by creating a handle and logging in to Geocaching. com, the primary online hub for users to connect and look up geocache locations. From there, typing in a zip code or city will bring up a (surprisingly large) list of nearby caches and their corresponding GPS coordinates, which can then be typed into a smartphone or any GPSenabled device — and the hunt is on! Each cache is rated from one to five
in terms of search and terrain difficulty. Geocaching perpetuates because anybody with a Geocaching.com login can create and hide a new cache — which can be just as fun as hunting for geocaches. “The whole geocaching community really is self-driving,” says Mark Stein of Ashland, a charter member of the Geocaching.com website. But there are rules for hiding. A cache cannot be hidden within .1 of a mile, or 528 feet, of another cache (to prevent overcrowding), and cachers must observe land laws. It takes creativity to hide a cache, since the environment can’t be disturbed — no digging, burying, or chopping trees, Smith says. Geocachers hang their containers in tree branches or tuck them under rocks. They latch magnetic containers beneath metal benches or hide them in plain sight inside false rocks. Film canisters, ammo cans, Tupperware, or other sealable, durable repositories make up some of the common types of geocache containers. After finding their treasure, geocachers can log the find on the geocaching website and share any observations, stories or issues surrounding the hunt after replacing the cache exactly as found. Some larger geocache containers contain little trinkets to enable a takesomething, leave-something component. Others involve solving a riddle or puzzle in order to then locate the cache container and log, Stein says.
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GETTING STARTED Geocaching apps for Apple and Android devices provide a map and compass to lead to a target cache and often sync with Geocaching.com. Using Geocaching.com and the apps and similar apps is free, with options to pay for upgrades that allow access to more caches and organizational tools, among other features. A pen is the only other essential tool, so that cachers can inscribe their handle names and the date on found log papers. Geocaching websites track users’ reported finds, but Alex Smith says the feature is more for personal use than competition. “Here in Southern Oregon, people are just relaxed about it,” he says. “It’s not necessarily just a numbers game.” Geocaching is popular among retirees, Smith says, as it promotes getting out, staying active and traveling. He knows local retiree cachers who’ve taken their geocaching quest across the country, amassing some 10,000 or 15,000 finds. Younger cachers also find fascination with embarking on real-world treasure hunts, making geocaching a popular family activity, Smith says.
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SPECIAL
Local cachers in SOGeo participate in a worldwide geocaching event.
SOUTHERN OREGON GEOCACHERS UNITE! Geocachers use the forum and discussion pages on Geocaching.com to plan events ranging from large conventions to smaller group hunts that all help keep a local geocaching scene strong and connected. Smith, whose geocaching handle is “Socks4,” has started Facebook and Instagram pages to help unite Southern Oregon geocachers. Smith regularly posts events on Geocaching. com for Southern Oregon geocachers, which can be looked up from the “Find Nearby Events” link on the homepage. Make local connections: www.geocaching.com www.facebook.com/SouthernOregonGeocaching www.instagram.com/southern_oregon_geocaching Email Alex Smith at SouthernOregonGeocaching@gmail.com.
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SPECIAL continuted from page 18
Finding caches and discovering new places
Geocaching lends itself to exploration and hiking. Caches may lead to places with particularly beautiful vistas or enable pursuers to notice a hidden waterfall, secret trail or some other unique and overlooked element of the outdoors, Smith says. Caches are often placed at historical sites or may be aligned to give a little tour of a town, Stein says. Smith recommends walking or biking the Bear Creek Greenway trail connecting Ashland and David Watts of Medford, a.k.a. “Davey Dude,” strikes Central Point and stopping another find off his list near Mt. Shasta. to pursue the treasure trove of caches along the way. Or, cache hunt while hiking around Roxy Ann Peak or the Table Rocks, he suggests. Yet some caches involve simply stepping out from your front door — which was exactly the case for Smith. After entering his zip code and pulling up the coordinates of a nearby cache, he bounded from his house, embarking on his first solo geocache hunt. He didn’t have far to go — in fact, only 300 feet. There, in the hollow darkness of a conduit pipe, his first geocache lay invisible to the outside world, waiting to be found.
CACHING UP ON HISTORY After the U.S. military turned off the selective availability of GPS, consumers with GPS-enabled devices could harness the now ubiquitous satellite location technology, and, soon after, geocaching was born. In May of 2000, a five-gallon black bucket stashed with goodies — videos, books, software, a slingshot — was hidden in the Beavercreek woods in Clackamas County. This GPS stash, as it was called, became the first recognized geocache. It’s not in play today, but there is a plaque commemorating the site. Early GPS stash hunters branded their activity as geocaching, and their online presence and community expanded. Back then, Stein had used GPS as a private pilot and later had a personal GPS receiver, although such devices were expensive and rare. “My inner geek was also fed,”
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Stein says, recalling that such cutting-edge devices appealed to tech enthusiasts. Since then, Stein, who lives in Ashland and whose geocaching handle is “markens,” has racked up some 7,300 finds. GPS technology has continually improved and is an included feature on virtually all smartphones. Smith says the technology is accurate enough today to get cachers within 10 or 15 feet of their target — then they begin overturning rocks, sifting through tree limbs and doing the cache-hunting dirty work.
Oregon Healthy Living • August 7, 2016
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NATURAL
CHILL OUT This Summer Cold therapy can get the blood moving BY CHERYL P. ROSE
H Photos provided by Glacé Cryotherapy
ot August temperatures are the perfect time to experiment with cold therapy. When the human body is exposed to extreme cold, it goes into emergency survival mode, attempting to stave off hypothermia. One immediate reaction is to recall blood from the periphery appendages to the core.
“Have you ever jumped in a cold river and experienced that feeling of vitality when you get out?” asks Dr. McClane Duncan, naturopathic physician and clinic director of Siskiyou Vital Medicine in Medford. “Extreme cold causes vasoconstriction, but the healing effects come from vasodilation. Once out of the cold, the blood rushes back to the peripheral tissues, refreshed with oxygen. If you use cold therapy on a regular basis, your body becomes more resistant to stress and it can influence the immune system.” Duncan says he prescribes cold therapy to his patients with any autoimmune condition or who are undergoing cancer
therapy. He also recommends it for any condition involving lack of blood profusion, such as diabetes. Tendon and ligament injuries can also respond to cold therapy. Another response to the perceived emergency is the release of endorphins, providing an upswing in mood. Over time, Duncan explains, the endorphin release can improve a person’s healing response, mental focus, memory and ability to cope with stress. The only precaution Duncan recommends is to avoid becoming overly chilled. “A little stress is good for us, but too much is not,” he says.
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NATURAL COLDER
C OL D
For a home version, Duncan says a daily blast of cold in the shower can be a starting place. He recommends bracing the cold water for 30 seconds to one minute. Rather than the head, Duncan says it is important to expose the large surface areas of the body, including chest and back, to stimulate the nervous system. Having the cold burst at the end and then air-drying can be stimulating, but Duncan says ideally a cycle of three minutes of hot water to one minute of cold can create a pump that pushes the blood around, cleansing and detoxing the body. Duncan recommends giving the experiment at least 10 days. “It’s the accumulation of exposure that leads to the deeper benefits, such as performing better under stress and improved energy.”
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Dr. Ilene Rubinstein, a chiropractor and owner of Chozu Bath and Tea Gardens in Ashland, believes strongly in the benefits of hydrotherapy. “The use of hydrotherapy is wonderful for stimulating the lymph system and circulation, helping with the body’s own detoxification,” she says. Her spa offers a cold plunge pool for customers who want to get a “friendly” dose of cold therapy. Due to mechanical limitations, Rubinstein says the plunge pool’s temperature is about 68 degrees, 10 degrees warmer than she’d prefer for therapeutic reasons. However, it is cold enough, particularly if leaping from the sauna or steam room directly into the plunge. “People love it,” she says. “Even if you start by just putting your feet in and seeing how your body does. It’s about acclimation and getting used to the shock factor. Once you have done it for a while, you like the tingling, warm sensation you get from flushing your circulation. Some people are a bit timid about taking the plunge, but our pool is not that cold, so it is a good way to start.”
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NATURAL C OL D E S T
Resembling a space-age, upright tanning bed, a cryotherapy unit uses a nitrogen gas to lower the temperature inside to minus 275 degrees. Clients at Glacé Cryotherapy in Medford spend three minutes inside per visit. “People are anxious about that kind of cold, but once you try it, it is amazing that the sensation is so tolerable,” says Sam Waller, the owner. “It is a dry cold. The gas is only touching the surface of the skin, not the core body temperature.” Cryotherapy was originally developed to counteract inflammation associated with rheumatoid arthritis, but it quickly crossed over to athletics, where it is popular for treating and preventing injuries. “Every major sports team in America uses cryotherapy,” Waller says. “But now it’s not limited to athletes. My oldest client is 87 years old and has bad arthritis. He says the treatments make him feel 20 years younger.” After the first visit, clients walk-in for appointments that last approximately 10 minutes from start to finish. Customers wear only their underwear and provided booties and gloves into the unit. The unit encloses the body, but not the head. Waller says studies have shown that to achieve lasting benefits, participants should have 10 to 20 daily exposures, and then they can move to a maintenance routine. “Most of our customers notice some benefit after the first session, such as pain relief or increased energy,” he says. “After five to 10 sessions, they feel great.”
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FIT BIT
BEAT THE
HEAT
Heat-related illnesses rise with temperatures
100 80 60
BY DAVID BRUCE | MORE CONTENT NOW
H
eatstroke and heat exhaustion are caused by exposure to extreme heat and sun. The higher the temperature and humidity, the more likely it can occur.
Anyone can develop a heat-related illness but the elderly are most at risk, said Dr. Ferdinando Mirarchi, a medical director of emergency medicine. “They often are taking medications or have conditions that impair their abilities to regulate their body temperature or feel the heat,” Mirarchi said. “Elderly people also often live on limited incomes, so they are watching their pennies and not using the air conditioner as often as they should.” People who exercise or consume alcohol in the heat are also at risk of heat exhaustion or heatstroke. Symptoms often start with muscle cramps and pain, usually in the legs or abdomen. They are often followed by heavy sweating, fatigue and thirst.
“The important thing when someone is suffering these symptoms is to keep them cool, get air circulating and keep them hydrated,” Mirarchi said. “Give them some ibuprofen or acetaminophen and apply ice packs to their body to cool them off.” Later symptoms of heat exhaustion can include headaches, dizziness or lightheadedness, weakness, nausea and vomiting, dark urine, and cool, moist skin. If left untreated, a person with heat exhaustion can develop heatstroke, where the body loses its ability to regulate its temperature. Symptoms include high fever (104 degrees and above), irrational behavior, confusion, dry or hot skin, rapid breathing, seizures, unconsciousness. “If you notice these symptoms, you must get that person to the ER immediately. Call 911,” Mirarchi said. Good ways to avoid heat-related illnesses are to avoid work and exercise during the hottest part of the day, usually between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m., Mirarchi said. It’s also important to check on elderly neighbors on hot days.
WARNING SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF HEAT-RELATED ILLNESS Heat Exhaustion • Heavy sweating • Weakness • Cold, pale and clammy skin • Fast, weak pulse • Nausea or vomiting • Fainting Heat Stroke • High body temperature (above 103°F)* • Hot, red, dry or moist skin • Rapid and strong pulse • Possible unconsciousness Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
MAILBAG WE WANT TO KNOW: If you could go back in time and give your younger self a piece of health advice, what would it be? Would you encourage yourself to eat differently, get more sleep or participate in athletics?
Email crose@mailtribune.com by August 13 and your response could be featured in Oregon Healthy Living. Please provide your name and location with your response. Replies should relate to health, fitness or physical wellness. 24
Oregon Healthy Living • August 7, 2016
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ARE YOU PLANNING A
BUCKET
LIST HIKE? Oregon Healthy Living is looking for Southern Oregonians who have made or are planning to tackle long trail hikes/walks/cycles, such as the Pacific Crest Trail or Appalachian Trail in the United States, or international options such as the Shikoku Pilgrimage in Japan or the Bruce Trail in Canada. We would like it to be a recent experience - within the past year if possible – or completed by October of this year. To share your story, contact: Cheryl Rose, crose@mailtribune.com
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AUGUST
EVENTS CALENDAR
GET LISTED! DO YOU HAVE AN EVENT YOU’D LIKE TO PROMOTE ON OUR EVENTS CALENDAR?
Simply email crose@mailtribune.com and include the following information: Event title, date, time, location, contact information and a brief description including any required fees. Please note: Event information must be received at least 60 days in advance to be considered for publication in Oregon Healthy Living.
12
TH
HIKE & LEARN 6 P.M. TO 7 P.M. • ASHLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY, 410 SISKIYOU BLVD., ASHLAND CONTACT INFO: www.cascadesiskiyou.org/hike-and-learn/ Try exploring place through nature journaling and field sketching. Join artists and writers Mary Silva and Katie Boehnlein for a prehike lecture about different ways to capture the beauty of the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument through writing and art.
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OREGON HONEY FESTIVAL 10 A.M. TO 5 P.M. • HISTORIC ASHLAND ELKS LODGE, 255 E. MAIN ST., ASHLAND CONTACT INFO: www.oregonhoneyfestival.com Celebrate honey, bees and mead at this annual event. The day’s agenda includes speakers, tastings, demonstrations and live music. Kids 8 and under are free. Tickets are $10 at the door or $8 in advance online.
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FRESH VEGGIE JAM BEGINNING AT 12 P.M. • WALKABOUT BREWING COMPANY, 921 MASON WAY, CENTRAL POINT CONTACT INFO: www.facebook.com/events/1094780420554780/ Billed as a ‘foodraiser,’ this event in its fifth year asks participants to donate their fresh produce to be distributed by Access to those in need. Attendance is free, but fresh veggie and fruit donations are welcomed. Live music, children’s activities and vendors will fill the day.
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AUGUST
EVENTS CALENDAR
EVERY EVERY EVERY SATURDAY SUNDAY TUESDAY
ROGUE VALLEY GROWERS & CRAFTERS MARKET 8:30 A.M. TO 1:30 P.M. • MEDFORD COMMONS, E. 5TH ST. AND N. BARTLETT ST., MEDFORD CONTACT INFO: www.rvgrowersmarket.com Weekly open-air market with local vendors selling produce, plants, flowers, unique artisan foods and crafts. The Ashland Saturday Market is held on Oak St. in downtown Ashland from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
JACKSONVILLE FARMERS MARKET 10 A.M. TO 2 P.M. • JACKSONVILLE HISTORIC COURTHOUSE, 5TH & C ST., JACKSONVILLE CONTACT INFO: jacksonvillefarmersmarket.org Over 70 market booths feature fresh local produce, baked breads, naturally raised beef, beverages and treats, prepared foods, arts and crafts, live music and more.
CONCERTS IN THE PARK 6:30 P.M. EVERY TUESDAY DURING THE SUMMER • RIVERSIDE PARK, 304 E PARK ST., GRANTS PASS CONTACT INFO: 541.476.7717 A free summer concert season sponsored by Grants Pass and Josephine County etc Chamber of Commerce. The shows feature some of the best bands around Oregon.
EVERY THURSDAY
ROGUE VALLEY GROWERS & CRAFTERS MARKET 8:30 A.M. TO 1:30 P.M. • HAWTHORNE PARK, 501 E. MAIN ST., MEDFORD CONTACT INFO: www.rvgrowersmarket.com Weekly open-air Market with local vendors selling produce, plants, flowers, unique artisan foods and crafts.
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Southern Oregon’s
Best of the
BEST 2016
It’s time to nominate your Southern Oregon favorites. Dining out | Entertainment | People & Organizations Shopping & Services & More! Nominate your favorite local business now, Thethen Original Mail Tribune Readers’ Vote for The Best August 10 -Choice August Awards 31, 2016
www.mailtribune.com/readerschoice IT’S TIME TO VOTE FOR YOUR Nomination Round: July 18 - July 31. SOUTHERN OREGON FAVORITES!
Dining Out | Entertainment | People & Organizations | Shopping | Services & More!
$100 Vote for The Best August 10 - August 31, 2016 AMERICAN EXPRESS www.mailtribune.com/readerschoice GIFT CARDS $100 Gift Certificates VOTE TODAY
5
to the businesses that place number
Hurry, Nominations End 31,categories: 2016 FOR A CHANCE TO one in theJuly following
WIN 1 OF Results will be published in a special section Overall Restaurant, Grocery Store, Salon, Brewery, and Winery
on October 23, 2016
To nominate IN & for complete ballot & contest RESULTS WILL BE PUBLISHED A SPECIAL SECTION ONrules OCTOBER 23, 2016 www.mailtribune.com/readerschoice For complete ballot visit & contest rules visit www.mailtribune.com/readerschoice
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